Security - Empty property

Yes - a new iPhone for DD2, who lives in Newcastle, was ordered to be delivered to an address in Guilford, which was found to be an empty property.
Fortunately, the delivery driver suspected some sort of fraud and refused to leave it with a neighbour.
It caused a lot of problems/dispute between (then) Orange and me!

Yes. And it's getting worse!

It is a common scam, more so now when deliveries are left on doorsteps or put in gardens. It is difficult to know what to do for the best, if a property looks empty it can be broken into, looks lived in then this scam can happen.

Could you get a ring doorbell until it sells, then you can send deliveries away.

Divert the Mail it’s not cheap but worth it.

I think I’d divert the post too. Also Twig14 have you cussed out the insurance for an empty property - that’s quite pricey!

Sussed!! Predictive text!

Mind you’ll probably ‘cuss’ when you get a quote for insurance!

IIRC, you have to divert the mail not just for the address but for specific named people at the address so that wouldn’t work if fraudsters were getting mail sent to them at your address. Some years ago I had a spate of car insurance letters sent to Asian names at my address (low crime area so cheaper insurance). They just pick on an address and use it to get insurance and when the payment fails along comes a letter from the insurers but by then they’ve got the insurance certificate they wanted even though cancelled as soon as the payment doesn’t go through. Nothing you can do because they’re not using your name, just your address, but you then need to check that a flag hasn’t been placed on your address by the credit rating agencies.

Thanks Georgesgran re insurance. I have got the house insured.

Please be careful re the insurance if you’re relying on a standard home insurance policy these normally limit the number of days a house can be unoccupied.

We had no issue extending house ins on mother's house after her death. Just needed to visit once a week.

Yes sadly. This has happened to me on 2 occasions. The first time must have been over 20 years ago - the first I knew of it was when I received a phone bill for over £2k of overseas mobile calls. The fraudster had ordered a mobile phone in my name and arranged for it to be delivered to my address - presumably he/she knew the delivery slot time and intercepted receipt outside my home. The 2nd time was for a very expensive coffee making machine ordered by someone using my credit card. Luckily this delivery was sent in error to my neighbour. Again the first I knew of it was when I received the bill. Both times the orders were placed in someone else’s name, but with my delivery address and my card details. It’s a minefield out there.